


5 Times He Was Afraid (And One Time He Wasn't)

by Lumeleo



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: 5+1 Things, Drabble Sequence, FtM Atobe Keigo, Growing Up, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, M/M, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:48:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22112848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumeleo/pseuds/Lumeleo
Summary: For all that his life might seem perfect, Keigo has spent much of his life being afraid.
Relationships: Atobe Keigo/Sanada Genichirou
Kudos: 10





	5 Times He Was Afraid (And One Time He Wasn't)

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, this is me poking at an idea I may or may not expand on later. For now, it's at least out of my head.

The first memory Sam had was of hiding away under a bed, listening to angry voices yelling in the other room.

He had no idea what had prompted this particular rage, wasn’t sure if there had even been a reason. All he knew was that he had been scared, scared and small and so very alone, waiting for silence to fall so he could finally get some sleep.

Even after the yelling stopped, though, it took a while for him to be able to fall asleep. It didn’t help that he didn’t dare actually crawl back up to his bed.

*

Sam had no idea what was happening, knew nothing except that his mother had told him to pack anything important. He gathered his most important possessions, his teddy bear and favorite bedtime book and the blue sweater his mother had knitted for him. He was still packing when his mother came back, grasping his hand and leading him out of the house. There was a stranger waiting in a car outside, but his mother told him it was okay.

They drove away from home, and his mother was crying. Sam was terrified, but he was going to follow his mother.

*

The strange man was smiling at Sam, but he didn’t trust that.

He was hiding behind his mother’s legs, peeking out at the stranger. His mother assured him it was fine, that this man was safe, but Sam wasn’t sure he believed that.

“Nice to meet you, Samantha.” The man crouched down, getting to his level. “My name is Akihito Atobe. I am very glad to meet you at last.”

“Akihito would like to be your father,” his mother said.

Sam was still scared, terrified even, but he had to make sure his mother would be all right at least.

*

It had taken Sam a while to get used to living in the huge castle that Akihito called his home. He was still rather wary, but at least there was plenty of room to run around in the hallways and in the garden, and he could hide away if he needed to.

When he accidentally knocked over a very expensive-looking vase, he definitely needed to hide. Akihito had been nice, but now he was definitely going to be angry.

Akihito was the one who found him, crying and trembling in one of the towers, and pulled him into a hug.

*

“Father?”

“Yes, Samantha?” Akihito looked up from his papers, giving him a small smile. Sam did his best not to flinch at the name.

“I need to talk to you about something.” And all of a sudden it was even more difficult than before, with his father’s gentle gaze locked on him.

“You know you can tell me anything, princess.”

Sam drew a deep breath. He hadn’t been so terrified in years, but he couldn’t bear to stay silent anymore. “I… I don’t think I’m a girl.”

Whatever Sam had expected in his terrified mind, a warm hug wasn’t it.

*

“Father, Mother.” Keigo smirked, marching into the sitting room where his parents were. “There’s something I need to show you both.”

“Well, it must be something big.” His father’s lips twitched. “I haven’t seen you this excited since you finally settled on a name you liked.”

“Hey, it’s a big decision.” Keigo snorted. “Also, I was eight. Be thankful I ended up with an actual name by the end.”

“Yes, yes.” His mother smiled. “So what is it you wanted to show us?”

Keigo gestured at the door. “Behold! My boyfriend!”

Sanada’s blush was adorable, and absolutely worth the drama.


End file.
